page_title: Loquat
section_title: Culinary use
hierarchical_section_title: Loquat / Culinary use
caption_attribution_description: English: Loquat in plate
context_page_description: The loquat — Eriobotrya japonica — is a large evergreen shrub or tree, grown commercially for its orange fruit, its leaves for tea, and also cultivated as an ornamental plant.
  The loquat is in the family Rosaceae, and is native to the cooler hill regions of south-central China. Since it reached its shores, the loquat has been grown in Japan for over 1,000 years, and has been introduced to regions with subtropical to mild temperate climates throughout the world.
  Eriobotrya japonica was formerly thought to be closely related to the genus Mespilus, and is still sometimes known as the Japanese medlar. It is also known as Japanese plum and Chinese plum, as well as pipa in China, and nespolo in southern Italy.
context_section_description: The loquat has a high sugar, acid and pectin content.  It is eaten as a fresh fruit and mixes well with other fruits in fresh fruit salads or fruit cups. The fruits are also commonly used to make jam, jelly and chutney, and are often served poached in light syrup. Firm, slightly immature fruits are best for making pies or tarts.
  The fruit is sometimes canned or processed into confections. The waste ratio is 30 percent or more, due to the seed size.
caption: Loquat on plate
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